McRavens teori i luften : En teoriprövande studie av moderna luftoperationer i Ukrainakriget

Sammanfattning

This study examines whether McRavens´s theory of special operations can explain success and failure in modern air operations. Existing airpower theories largely focus on strategic and operational levels and offer limited explanatory value for discrete, time sensitive operations. To address this gap, this study conducts a theory-testing qualitative comparative case study of two cases from the war in Ukraine: Operation Spiderweb (2025) and Russia´s air assault at Hostomel (2022). Using a most similar design, McRavens six principles are operationalized into observable indicators and applied to both cases. The findings indicate that Operation Spiderweb largely fulfilled these principles and achieved success, whereas the Hostomel operation exhibited deficiencies across several principles and resulted in failure. The study suggests that McRaven´s framework has explanatory value for modern air operations, particularly at the tactical and operational level.